300-KW DC Generators

No direct experience at that power level Michael, but what is your application requiring the 300KW DC? And at what voltage?

I do know that generally the preferred approach is to generate 3 phase AC and then rectify it. AC "generators" are far more available, more reliable, and more efficient. I worked with 100 KW systems that generated AC and rectified it for the reasons I mentioned.

Greg

Did not most automobiles up to the mid 60's have generators? These should be easily available from a parts store or salvage yard.

I also believe if you spin a conventional DC motor it will act as a generator.

<Did not most automobiles up to the mid 60's have generators? These should be easily available from a parts store or salvage yard.

I also believe if you spin a conventional DC motor it will act as a generator.>

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True, but didn't the poster also say something about wanting a 300 KW DC generator? That's three hundred thousand watts! Sure, the cars of the 60s were big, but not that big!

3 PH w/rectifier is the way to go. I am upscaling an ION field generator I have in my barn. I want to go from the dinky 50KW high voltage generator I have to .5 MW but I am an amateur at best in electrical engineering. I can only find 300 KW readily available but they are prohibitively expensive so I want to try to put one together myself. I figured there is used equipment and off the shelf technology that I can use?!?

Michael

Norman, Ok

What a coincidence!

I, too, have an ION generator in my barn and it's a good thing I moved next to the Grand Coulee Dam, too, because if I hadn't I have no idea where I'd get all those 30 gigawatts it demands and before, every time I reminded the power company to install my new substation they'd hang up on me, but now I can levitate my goats and not only that, I can even communicate with Elvis on a regular basis.

He hasn't changed a bit.

A more efficient (and common) approach is to generate 3-phase AC power by means of an alternator, then rectify the output by means of a full-wave, 3-phase bridge. The DC produced will contain a significant "ripple" component, but if your application can tolerate the ripple you may wish to consider this arrangement. One thing in favor of this approach is the fact that alternators do not use (nor need) slip rings or commutators. This alone will boost your reliability and significantly reduce maintenance costs over what you'd see if you generated the DC directly.

If you really want a brush type generator the swing generators from draglines are often about this size but only have one bearing and will need to be run at 1000 rpm.

Thanks for all of the offline email leads. I've found what I need. I forgot they hide this information in books. Sometimes I need someone to point out the obvious. Apparently High Voltage DC generation is one of the most favored college and high school projects, mostly oriented around a report on the history of Tesla. Every part I need is readily available new and used and is quite affordable.

Best regards,

Michael